This invention relates generally to the handling of hay bales and more particularly to a truck bumper which is constructed to load large round hay bales into a truck bed and unload the bales therefrom.
In recent years, it has been popular for hay to be baled in large cylindrical bales which in some cases can weigh thousands of pounds. Needless to say, the advent of hay bales this size has led to a need for equipment capable of properly handling the bales. Most of the equipment that has been proposed in the past is either self-contained or is constructed for use with a tractor.
In addition, devices have been proposed for attachment to a pickup truck to permit the truck to carry large hay bales, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,624 to Krein et al, for example. However, devices of this type have been lacking in a number of respects. The main disadvantage is that the added equipment and accessories take up so much room in the truck bed that it is not fully available for the handling of normal loads. Also, the devices that have been proposed in the past for use with trucks are overly complex and expensive. The bale carrier shown in the Krein et al patent requires lost motion mechanisms and other complicated mechanical components which lead to high cost and reliability problems.
The present invention is directed to an improved hay handling device which functions both as a rear truck bumper and as a bale carrier for loading large cylindrical hay bales into the truck bed for transport. In accordance with the invention, the rear truck bumper is formed by two stationary end sections and a pivotal center section. The bumper is carried on a rigid frame which can be bolted or otherwise secured to the truck frame to mount the bumper at the customary rear bumper location. The center section of the bumper is provided with a pair of sockets which receive spears having pointed tips for piercing the hay bale when the truck is backed toward it. Spring loaded locking plates secure the spears in the sockets and yet can be easily released to permit removal of the spears. A pair of hydraulic cylinders powered by the power steering pump of the truck pivot the center bumper section upwardly to raise the impaled bale into the truck bed. The bale can be unloaded simply by retracting the cylinders to pivot the center section of the bumper in a direction to lower the bale to the ground. When the bale handling capability of the truck is not needed, the spears can be removed and the entire truck bed is then available for normal use.
It is an important object of the invention to provide a bale handling device for a pickup truck which does not significantly alter the truck bed or otherwise interfere with the load handling capability of the truck. Unlike the devices that have been proposed in the past, the bumper of the present invention maintains the truck bed fully available for use to handle ordinary loads.
Another important object of the invention is to provide a bale handling device which acts as a rear bumper when not used to handle hay bales.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a hay handling device of the character described which is simple and economical to construct and easy to install on pickup trucks of various styles.
A further object of the invention is to provide a bale handling device of the character described in which removable spears are used for impaling the bales. An equally important feature of the invention is the arrangement by which the spears can be quickly and easily applied to and removed from the bumper. Spring loaded lock plates on the bumper securely lock the spears in their sockets and yet can be easily released to permit detachment of the spears. Also significant is the beveled surface on each spear which assures that the spear will automatically lock in place when it is fully inserted in its socket.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a bale handling device of the character described which uses the existing hydraulic system of the truck for power to load and unload the bales.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bale handling device of the character described which can be operated from the truck cab simply by pushing a button.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a bale handling device of the character described which is strong enough to handle even the largest and heaviest hay bales that are normally encountered.
Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.